4 Common Mistakes to Avoid When Buying Domain Names

So you're ready to build a website, one of the very first steps is purchasing a domain.  However there's a lot of options on the market to choose from. Nowadays you can buy domain names from a variety of website providers, domain registrars and web hosting companies. While either service will get the job done…many people overpay or leave their personal information vulnerable to scammers. That's why we created a list of 4 common mistakes to avoid when purchasing domain names.

1.  Buying everything from a website builder  - This is like "putting all your eggs in one basket." Although getting a FREE domain from the same company you’re building a website is convenient… it may cost more in the long run. Website builder softwares typically allow customers to get started at no cost, however upgrades are required for special features like custom domain names which range from $10-$50mo! 

1. Not checking Renewal price - While promotional offers can be attractive please read the fine print! Some domain registrars & website providers offer a FREE domain for the 1st year then charge you twice the price for renewing. Take a moment to compare rates and buy domains that renew at fair prices.

1. Choosing monthly subscriptions - Website providers are known to offer monthly subscriptions as a payment option. The downside of using this method is the possibility of missed payments. If you forget to pay their monthly fee or become unable to make payments, website providers can disable your account and unpublish your website. We recommend registering domain names on a yearly basis.

1. Purchasing Domains without privacy - Not understanding privacy protections (WHOIS guard) could result in having your personal contact details on display and potentially paying extra to hide it!  The good news is that most website builder software include ‘Free domain privacy’ which means your personal details will be protected in the WHOIS directory. This will also prevent SPAM with a private email address for domain inquiries. So make sure your domain purchase includes privacy. 

In conclusion, whether you’re building a sales page, blog or website you’ll need a domain name. Ultimately, the goal in building a website is to have more control over your online reputation. That’s why we recommend buying a custom domain name. If your not familiar with those terms, checkout our past blog post explaining “custom domains” in more detail. Moving forward, hopefully this blog post cleared up any confusion and helped you choose the the best option when buying a domain!

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8 Ingredients For A Solid Digital Marketing Mix

By: Kayla McDonald

This post was created in an effort to help organizations understand the different areas necessary to run successful internet marketing campaigns. Social media is often the only marketing technique businesses consider to reach clients online. When actually, social media is just one of many ways marketing is done over the internet. 

Effectively spreading your message online involves sharing information, providing value, being responsive and gathering data. Marketing online should be a team effort. Otherwise managing the process alone can cost organizations a lot of time and money. Most businesses in today’s economy, regard time just as valuable as making money! Internet Marketing can be made easier once individuals or departments have strengths identified. After that, team members can optimize time and talent. To learn more about the key areas of Digital Marketing see glossary below.

Key Areas of Digital Marketing

Brand Strategy 

Web Design

Content Marketing

Search Engine Optimization

Social Media Marketing

Online Reputation Management

Web Analytics

Digital Advertising

Checkout the glossary section below to learn more about the terms and how they impact your business.

Glossary: Key Areas of Digital Marketing

• Brand Strategy - developing a long term plan to help a brand reach specific goals. Examples include: Taking steps to  promote the unique personality of an individual, product or service.

•  Web Design - Building websites, apps and mobile programs using a variety of today’s programming languages. Examples include: Html, CSS, Web Hosting services and more.

• Content Marketing - Creating a variety of written or audio/visual media to build brand awareness. Examples include: Blogs, email messages, meme graphics, infographics and videos. 

• Search Engine Optimization (SEO) - Using a variety of techniques to rank at the top of search engine results. Examples include: Related keyword searches, tagging photos, Local Listings, searching for topics in Bing, Google, Yahoo…

• Social Media Marketing - Using social networks to communicate, generate website traffic, improve public brand perception etc. Examples include: Regular posting, monitoring and responding to comments on websites like Facebook.

• Online Reputation Management (ORM) - is attempting to shape the public’s opinion of a business, individual product or service by influencing, monitoring and responding to online information about it. Examples: Online comments, reviews and testimonials from websites like Yelp, Google My Business and Ripoff Report.

• Web Analytics - Using research tools on websites to gather data about online visitors. Examples: Gathering data through websites, the use of cookies or both. 

• Digital Advertising - developing or using paid advertisements to display on the internet. Examples: Paying for visual ads that drive traffic to a website, webpage or application.

  
  

  
  

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